Follow-up MRI

Today is the day of our daughter's follow-up MRI. As a mom, I've been looking forward to today for a couple of months. I REALLY needed to hear from doctors that our daughter is looking as good on the inside as she does on the outside.

Our day of tests started with a few frustrations, but our daughter did great. We have already received a call from the neurologist with some very positive news:

1. Our daughter's internal hemangiomas are regressing.

2. Our daughter's carotid artery seems to be carrying blood as needed.

3. Our daughter's brain is developing typically.

The official MRI report won't be available until Monday, but this initial news is a true encouragement. We will meet with all of her speciaists over the next two weeks to get their opinions, but this is FANTASTIC news!

Prayer Warriors

For over five months we've been encouraged by friends and family members that they are praying for our daughter. We have received cards, messages on Facebook, phone calls and emails. Though I've heard these words of encouragement time and time again, last weekend I actually got to see some of these prayer warriors "with skin on"!

To celebrate the long Fourth of July weekend, we made a very quick trip to Oklahoma and Missouri to visit family members who had not yet met our daughter. It was very important to me that we make this trip now that our daughter is healthy enough to be loved-on by other people. I wanted them to get to enjoy her snuggles as much as we do! I also wanted my boys to be able to make some memories with these family members who love them so much!

Our first stop was Ada, Oklahoma where she got to meet one of her great-grandfathers. Though this stop was for only a few hours, we had a great visit (and some yummy Mexican food)!

Our next stop was Springfield, Missouri where she got to meet aunts, uncles, cousins and another set of great-grandparents. We were in Springfield for July 4th and were able to attend a patriotic worship service at their home church. Memaw was excited to get to introduce us to her friends in her Sunday School class. I am convinced that every great-grandparent is proud of their kiddos, but this "show-off" was different. I quickly realized that the reason she wanted us to meet these friends is because they have been praying for us in very specific ways. She wanted them to be able to put a face with our names and see how good our daughter looks.

These intercessors called us by name and reminded us of specific ways they're praying for us. I was overwhelmed with emotion realizing that this handfull of people represents the many people who I don't even know who have whispered prayers on our behalf.

I looked up a definition for "Intercessory Prayer" tonight and here's what I found: Intercessory prayer is prayer for others. An intercessor is one who takes the place of another or pleads another's case. One study Bible defines intercession as "holy, believing, persevering prayer whereby someone pleads with God on behalf of another or others who desperately need God's intervention."

I am thankful for the many prayer warriors who take time out of their day to lift my daughter/family up in prayer. God's people are good!

Typically Developing!

Our daughter had an appointment earlier this week with her pediatrician to follow up on her weight gain, head size and length. Good news...she's staying on the curve! Her head size and length are both in the 10th percentile and her weight is in the 5th percentile...but she's stable! Though she is 5 months old and is still wearing size 0-3 month clothes, she made the progress that you would expect from any other child. The pediatrician deemed her "typically developing"...HOORAY! If this growth trend continues, she's projected to be a little over five foot tall and just over 100 lbs as an adult...she certainly did not get these petite genes from her 5'11" mother!

We have another round of tests (MRI/MRA) later in July and will then see all of our specialists again (ophthalmologist, dermatologist, neurologist and pediatrician). We will repeat this cycle in October with a CT Angiogram. We are trusting that our daughter looks as good on the inside as she does on the outside!